(CNN) - New York City's progressive mayor wants Brooklyn to anchor his city's bid to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

In a letter to the Democratic National Committee, Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote that the two-year-old Barclays Center, home to the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, would serve as the principal venue site for the city's convention bid, with other events and accommodations spread across Brooklyn, Manhattan and New York's three other boroughs.

De Blasio, a rising progressive star who was elected mayor last November, is a Brooklyn resident.

"The progressive spirit of New York City has never been stronger or more vibrant that it is today. The values of the Democratic Party – inclusion, diversity, compassion – our part of our city's spirit. We believe that this spirit can energize and captivate both the Democratic Party and the nation," wrote de Blasio.

In his pitch, de Blasio touted that New York's "the safest big city in the country and the home of the nation's most extensive public transit system."

The last time New York City hosted a party's presidential nominating convention was the 2004 Republican National Convention. It last hosted a Democratic convention in 1992. Both of those conventions, as well as previous ones New York's hosted in modern times, were held in Manhattan's Madison Square Garden.

As first reported by CNN's Mark Preston in April, New York's one of 15 cities that was sent an official request for proposal, or "RFP," by the DNC. Those cities are Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus (Ohio), Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.

A party official told CNN that the deadline for cities to return their bids to the DNC is Friday at 5pm. The official says that the DNC will announce in coming days which cities are bidding to hold the convention, with a final decision coming late this year or early in 2015.

Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said he "couldn't be more excited" that New York is vying to host the event.

“Brooklyn’s new Barclays Center is the perfect spot for the Democratic National Convention-and not just because it’s in my home borough and I could walk there from my home," he said in a statement. "New York City is the center of the media universe, home to a diverse population from every state in our union, and is the cultural capital of the world, making it the ideal setting for the Democratic Party’s Convention."

The Republican National Committee is further along in its winnowing process. Denver, Dallas, Cleveland and Kansas City are the remaining cities bidding to hold the 2016 GOP convention. The RNC expects to announce their final decision this autumn.